Villa Auditore

2012-01-04T16:35:28Z

24.149.127.253: /* Rooms */

{{Era|AC2|ACB|PL|Good}}
{{WPlocations}}
{{Location Infobox
|name = Villa Auditore
|image = AC2 renovated villa auditore.png
|imgdesc = The Villa Auditore
|hidep =
|state = [[Monteriggioni]], [[Tuscany]]
|rulers = [[House of Auditore]]
|factions = [[Assassins]] [[Mercenaries]] [[Thieves]] [[Courtesans]]
|hideh =
|founded = [[Domenico Auditore]]
|date = 1290
|abandoned = 1500
|hidea = yes
|landmark =
|flags =
|targets = }}
{{quote|A key force in the protection of [[Monteriggioni]] for hundreds of years and a source of great architectural innovation...|Commemorative plaque for the Villa Auditore, 2012.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
The '''Villa Auditore''' was a familial home and stronghold of the [[House of Auditore|Auditore family]], located within the city of Monteriggioni in [[Tuscany]].

Purchased by the family some time after 1321, it remained the home to the Auditore up until the turn of the 16th century, when it was heavily damaged during the [[Fall of Monteriggioni]].

==History==
===Domenico Auditore===
The villa was constructed in 1290. In 1320, a [[Florence|Florentine]] attack left the facade damaged, and in need of reconstruction.<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref> After the death of [[Dante Alighieri]] in 1321, [[Domenico Auditore]] purchased the Villa, and subsequently erected a new facade, as well as a [[painting gallery]] within. He redesigned the Villa not only as a home, but as a fortress and training ground for the town.<ref name="AC2 - Auditore Crypt">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' - ''[[Auditore Family Crypt|Uplay Content: Auditore Family Crypt]]''</ref>

The building itself was filled with hidden compartments and rooms, whilst the grounds catered to a number of different uses. Later, Domenico constructed the [[Auditore Family Crypt]], which would later also be connected to an escape route within the Villa that led out to the north of Monteriggioni.<ref name="AC2 - Auditore Crypt"/>

===Mario Auditore===
[[File:CDC_3_v.png|thumb|250px|left|The run-down Villa Auditore.]]
By 1436, the Villa hosted the newest generation of Auditore [[Assassins]]; the brothers [[Mario Auditore|Mario]] and [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni Auditore]]. Following the death of their father, and Giovanni's departure for Florence, Mario became the sole ruler of Monteriggioni, and resident of the Villa in 1454.<ref name="AC2" /><ref name="Project Legacy - Mario Auditore">''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]'' - [[Chapter 3 - Mario Auditore]]</ref>

Despite Mario's love for the Villa, it fell into disrepair along with the city it protected, due to him spending his money on warfare and [[mercenaries]], rather than its upkeep. Instead, the Villa was mostly used for storing weapons and equipment of war, and at one point, even a [[the Shroud|mysterious artifact]] Mario had discovered hidden under Monteriggioni.<ref name="Project Legacy - Mario Auditore"/>

During the [[Defense of Monteriggioni]] in 1454, the Villa was also where Mario and his mercenaries interrogated [[Luciano Pezzati]], a spy for the invading Florentine army.<ref name="Project Legacy - Mario Auditore"/>

===Ezio Auditore===
In 1476, Mario's nephew, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], as well as [[Maria Auditore da Firenze|his mother]] and [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|sister]], came seeking refuge in Monteriggioni after the [[Auditore execution|execution of his father and brothers]]. After resting in the Villa, Ezio intended to take his mother and sister to [[Spain]], much to Mario's protests.<ref name="AC2"/>

Eventually, Ezio decided to remain in Monteriggioni, and seek revenge on those responsible for the execution. He became, in effect, co-ruler of Monteriggioni with Mario, and the renovations he funded and oversaw proved to herald a rebirth for not only the Villa, but the city of Monteriggioni as well.<ref name="AC2"/>

Although the exact length of time it took for the Villa to be rebuilt is unknown, by late December 1499, it was once again an opulent structure, as well as the headquarters of the Assassin Order in Italy.<ref name="Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>

[[File:Villaburn.PNG|thumb|left|250px|Villa Auditore burning during the [[Fall of Monteriggioni]].]]
However, on the 2nd of January, 1500, the [[Papacy|Papal forces]] led by [[Cesare Borgia]] besieged Monteriggioni, thus devastating the town and its Villa, and killing Mario. After this, the Villa was abandoned, as Ezio left the ruins of Monteriggioni to wage war against the [[House of Borgia|Borgia]] in [[Rome]].<ref name="Brotherhood"/>

Sometime before 1554, the Auditore seized their control back over Monteriggioni, though the Villa was not rebuilt. That same year, the Auditore were betrayed by Giovannino Zeti, keeper of the garrison and a Florentine exile, who gave the keys of the city to the [[House of Medici|Medici]]. The Medici conquered Monteriggioni, though they allowed the Auditore to continue ruling the city due to their families' good relationship.<ref name="AC2"/>

===Modern times===
[[File:Villa_auditore.jpg|thumb|250px|The modern Villa Auditore.]]{{Template:Dialogue|Desmond|Wait. We're at the Auditore Villa?|Lucy|Yes. It's our last safehouse in Italy. It turns out the Templars are watching the border.|The Assassins arriving at the Villa.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}By 2012, the Villa had become a World Preservation Site, and was heralded as ''"one of the Tuscan countryside's most beloved landmarks."'' A plaque displayed before the Villa contained details of its construction, as well as how it had been destroyed in [[Rodrigo Borgia|Pope Alexander VI]]'s military campaign in 1500.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>

On September 9, 2012, [[Desmond Miles]], [[Lucy Stillman]], [[Rebecca Crane]] and [[Shaun Hastings]] set up a temporary base of operations within the [[Sanctuary]] beneath the Villa to escape the [[Templars]] searching for them. Throughout their stay, which lasted until October 10th, the Assassins lived within the Villa, and came out only to collect provisions.<ref name="Brotherhood"/>

==Rooms==
The Villa Auditore had several rooms, some of which were hidden. Below is a list of the known rooms.
*Main hall
*The [[Armory]], divided into rooms dedicated to weapons and armor
*Mario's study
*[[Maria's room]]
*[[Painting gallery]]
*[[Ezio's room]] and study
*The Assassin Sanctuary
*The Model Room (Where Claudia works and the Model of Monterrigioni)

==Gallery==

<center><gallery captionalign="left">
Zw-armorroom.png|Armor Room.
Zw-mainhall.png|Main Hall.
Room1.jpg|Ezio's room.
Zw-assassin-sanctuary-1.png|Assassin Sanctuary.
Zw-gallery.png|Painting gallery.
MariasRoom.jpg|Maria's room.
Codex Room.jpg|Mario's study and the [[Codex Wall]].
Study room.jpg|Mario's study in the 21st century.
</gallery></center>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{ACII}}
{{ACBH}}

[[es:Villa Auditore]]
[[Category:Monteriggioni]]
[[Category:Landmarks]]
[[Category:Villa Auditore| ]]
[[Category:Tuscany]]

Assassin's Creed Wiki - User contributions [en-gb]

Villa Auditore